Grommet making machine



March 2, 1954 c; G. HOCKETT GROMMET MAKING MACHINE 10 Shee'ts-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 29 1950 INVENTOR.

March 2, 1954 c. GJHOCKETT GROMMET MAKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 29 1950 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

fiw 76M Mam e March 2, 1954 c. e. HOCKETT GROMMET MAKIQNG MACHINE 1O Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 29, 1950 mmvron.

an-Ze Ha-M March 2, 1954 c, ocK 2,670,576

GROMMET MAKING MACHINE a Filed Dec. 29, 19 50 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 L i Q 2% N m \o k Q 5 INVENTOR. (TlfilGIECM March 2, 1954 c. G. HOCKETT GROMMET MAKING MACHINE l0 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 29 1950 March 2, 1954 c. cs. HOCKETT GROMMET MAKING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Dec. 29 1950 INVENTOR. and $110M ,Azi oane ys INVENTOR.

c. G. HOCKETT GROMMET MAKING MACHINE l0 Sheets-Sheet 7 Canal @1100 B Y I Awngs' March 2, 1954 Filed Dec. 29, 1950 March 2, 1954 V c. G. HOCKETT GROMMET MAKING MACHINE 10 Sheets$heet 8 Filed Dec. 29 1950 March- 2, 1954 Q HOQK'ETT 2,670,576

GROMMET MAKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 29 1950 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTOR. wtaflflzi l0 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed Dec. 29 1950 INVENTOR.

. Margy Patented Mar. 2, 1954 2,510,576 QBQMMET M NG MAS- .11.

Carl G. Hoclgett, Uxbridge, Mass Gtirpoifatiofi; e, oo 'poi'ation assignor to of Rhode er elieeiiee Deeeebes 29, 9 59 ie ie 9 23 9 Th i vention r la es be e m dame e f vm n mmmfi mseh niee y f m mlisrstock r eret fj ommets mad or .e rubber or sy h ic be r f e m r' e f ther l stic av b en me b m lding. Mcflci ns prod s e rqinmet W i e s 'e e ce elm iis' qme sQ Q e.

'te'p'fiovide' thje ame es ih iriultip ttijng of a IQUtIDhClY. f grommets-qt ofie tithe from resiiiehttuhu k breaking theibrasivefiSktvp; mitt gtooI-s."

Ahethei'o I to'f heinvenem islt o provigie a meehihe w 1ch'wi1i be iri e uoiisfipe ratio so that the tubes" w 't are tel-inedmaiyfhe m te-d ihtoa fizi e end the 25 gi'emmets may he olfec eh i' a b ke't oi recepnlis i e v formenual operation ofthe m t he excefit 'for supply of the stocktoi'be'ofiei d -p Another objecthf'th" invehtion isto' provide a slow motion adjacent-stoppin g' mistziftihg ofthe 30 stock Whereit is opereited i l po hy the tofels a'repid advance thenebetwen. Airlother object-e5 the iiivehtion is to; provide centre-1s so that should ahyhi-the'peir'ts hec'ome ihoperativeo'r outofp l'eic. Y mac he wiil'stop.

With these anciother objects View, the iiiventim relates toy certain novel; featiii es of consti'uction, as will be more f-u11y"descr ih'd eiiijd pantieulaizly poizdteei out the apiiend eci claims. Iniaccompenyingf drlawing's: Fig.1 is an elevation certain parts ot the ,mac'hi'rie in sectioniaiiet withthe 'meuntinjg' tor the. operating toolsaili'ustrat'ed h dottell ines;

. Fig. 100 is. an end". view ei-f the'spihdie siiphott; Fig. 2. is an. end-i view" (iii/the ma'schihe l oei'tihg from; the righthand; endse'i: Fig. 12 with the operating-toois-inpiaicef Fig. 3% is an end. view of the machine looking Fig. i is a; sectional; viewomlinei 1-4: of: we. 1;

Fig. 5 is a seationa li viewbnhhe ti 5 oi 4 showing the air moton: fozrv the: positioning, of a P e e of tubu en steels an e @ne h pi les:

' F m1 we view etti etip .1? e eeie il swe iee i zi ie tsmnele;

6 Cleitns. (01. 51-198) 2. Fig. 7 is a, sectional end end view oi the locking tit for the stock bilshr'sf" Fig.1?-

e. view simlar to Fig. 5 illustratingthe smoothing or ii'onifig'tool 'ahdeir motor therefor; Fig": 9 is it seetioxiai v'iewana enti'viewihd dtail ''niiview of the contracting siJ-ririg' e oneef the ii'dhihetooi;

f is. w se sectional view similar to Figs-.- 5 and 8 of the air m"to' r for the stripping means Fig. '11 shows 'egige "alrigi end views of the statinping member; w

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on substantially l'ii ie l2- i2' of Fig. 5 showing two spindles-oithe tin:- iet, part of the magazine, the carriage for operalt ihg the maigazi'ne control, and a, part at the machine for operatin the carriage; Fi 131s a ection line |-'3 l 3 of Fig.- 12;

Fig. 1 4 is enen'd view suppl'ementingthe showing Fig. 2' to show the mounting of the grooving and cutting off tools end-"the motors tor" driving them;

Fig. 15 is an end view on line 15-5 of 14 showing the gangfof grooving 'tools I Fig".- 16 is a; sectional view showing the spindle with at piece of work thereof-'1' and/the relative position'of the g'roovingi tools which operate on the work in this'po'sition; Fig. 17 is a. view similar to; Fe. 16 but showing the spindle and fwork thereon with therelative position? of the" cutting. ofi tool;

Fig. 18 is a'perspective view of one disc of the cutting oft tool Fig. 139? is a perspective view of a; space: between such cutting ofl tools;v Y

Fig. 20 is an end view illustrating the drive for the spindle turret; I Fig. 21 is an elevation and end view of one of the spindles;

Fig. 22 is an elevation and end view of the grommet formedby thev machine;

Fig. 231s adiaigrammatic view of the electrical control at the machine;

EigQZe' is a; frag-mental elevation and; em view of a medifiediorm of spindle Fig. 25- is: elevation partly broken away of an air motor with a modified form: of pusher rod; Fig: 26: isasection view of the: spindle tubular stock and; end ofthe modified form 0t pusher rod of Fig.- 25

Fig. 2'? iseplan view ofanain motor and modifisd r-m ef st i er member In r c ed n w th this invention, 1 prov de a t rret for spindleswhichrevolvestheseispimiles etbo t the axis- 01 the turret and I also rotate each of the spindlesin the turret during theopel spindles. The turret as it turns moves the work on the spindles first into engagement with a gang tool which grooves the tubular work and then in further revolving moves the work into engagement with a gang tool which cuts through the tubular work intermediate adjacent grooves which have been formed so as to provide individual grommets which are in co-axial tandem relation on the spindles. The work is placed in magazines and fed to a position so that the tube may be forced onto one of the spindles at a given location where it is not rotating and at the same time the work which has been fed onto the next spindle is ironed in some instances so as to cause it to be of a uniform thickness throughout its length. Also at this same time, work which has previously been grooved and cut is stripped off the spindle and caught in a suitable receiving container. This loading, ironing and stripping operation takes place while the turret moves slowly and the operation is performed by motors on a platform which moves with the work. The motion of the turret is such that after the loading, ironing and stripping operation is performed upon three different spindles at substantially one time, it then speeds up in its movement that no time will be lost during positioning of additional spindles for a similar operation. The motors for forcing the work on the spindles are air motors, allowing certain flexibility while the controls for these motors are electrical.

With reference to the drawings, the framework (Fig. 1) has a base portion 26, uprights 21 and a table or deck 28, while it is provided with stringers 29 for supporting certain of the driving parts of the machine. The standard 36 extends upwardly from the deck 28 and supports a bearing 3| for a shaft 32 upon which the turret designated generally 33 is mounted. This turret comprises a pair of discs 34 and 35 providing a plurality of bearings 36 and 37 in which shafts 38 are rotatably mounted for rotating spindles secured to their ends. The shafts are mounted circularly about the axis of the shaft 32 and are each provided with a sprocket gear 39 which is engaged by a sprocket chain 40 (see Fig. 3) for rotating the spindles during a part of the revolving movement of the turret.

The chain 40 is trained over pulleys 4! and 42 and the movable pulley 43 for effecting an adjustment by means of its spindle axis 44 being mounted for movement in the slot 45 of the bracket 46. A drive is provided for the chain 40 from electric motor 41 through belt 48, pulley 49, reduction gears 50, pulley 5i and belt 52 to pulley 53 on shaft 54 which drives pulley 42. It will be apparent that as the spindles pass the upper third of their revolution they will be driven by the sprocket chain thus provided but will not be so driven during the remainder of their travel. The turret is driven by rotation of the shaft 32 which has mounted thereon a worm wheel 56 to be turned by a worm 57. This worm is mounted on shaft 58, which is driven by sprocket gear 59 through chain 60 from gear Bi on shaft 62, which is driven from one of the epicycloid gears 63 (see also Fig. 1), which meshes with the other epicycloid gear 64 on shaft which shaft is driven from electric motor 66 (see Fig. 1) through a belt 61, reduction gear box 58, shaft 69, pulley 10, belt H, and pulley 13, from which it will be apparent that the motion given to the worm 5'! will be at varying speeds dependent upon the position of the epicycloid gears.

Referringparticularly to Fig. 2, a hopper 14 is provided with chute 15 for feeding a piece of tubular material 16 (Fig. 12) downwardly to be discharged from its end 11. A trough 18 is formed in the member 19 for the reception of a piece of work which in this position is so located that it may be forced onto one of the spindles when the spindle is in its lowermost position as shown in Fig. 2. This member 1'9 is mounted upon a reciprocating carriage which may slide to the left and right as shown in Fig. 12 and is actuated by cam 8| and follower 82 which is rotatably mounted in ball bearings 83 (Fig.13) secured to the carriage. As this cam rotates, this carriage will be moved back and forth from left to right as shown in Fig. 12. The dovetail guideway for this carriage is shown in Fig. 1 at 84. A roll 84' supports the outboard end of this carriage to prevent jamming in the guideway 84. The cam 8| is mounted on the end of shaft 85 which has a sprocket 86 driven by sprocket chain 8'! (Fig. 2) from sprocket 88 mounted on shaft 89, which shaft is driven from the shaft 62 by means of sprocket gear 90 (Fig. 3) on shaft 52 and sprocket gear 9! (Fig. 1) on shaft 89 by means of sprocket chain 92. Thus, the slow and fast motion caused by the epicycloid gears 63 and 84 is transmitted to this cam 50 that a timed relationship exists and the carriage will be moved at substantially the speed of the turret during its slow movement while operation of the loading mechanism occurs.

The carriage 89 has mounted upon it such air motors as operate durin loading. The air motors are individually shown in separate views. The air motor designated generally is shown in Fig. 5 and is provided with a rod 96 which has the presser 91 (see also Fig. 6) secured at one end by means of thread 98 and locked in position by lock nut 98' (Fig. 7). This rod and presser will move through the trough 78 to engage the work 16 which is located therein and will force it onto one of the spindles 99 which projects from and is threaded onto the end of the spindle shaft 38, previously referred to. This presser 91 will force the resilient tube 16 along the hexagonal spindle 99 up against the ejecting slide I00, flanged as at WI. The carriage 80 is moved at the same speed as spindle 99 by cam 8| while the movement of the presser tool operates under the action of the air motor so there is no relative movement between them.

Another air motor designated generally I05 (see Fig. 8) is provided with an ironing tool I06 at the end of its rod I01 which is shown in greater detail in Fig. 9 as comprising a tube I08 with six fingers I09 formed by slitting the tube H0. These fingers are separated by slots HI and are drawn together by a coil spring H2. The action of this tool is to slide over the tube positioned on the spindle in the previous station so as to iron the tube out and cause the same to have a substantially uniform diameter on its spindle. This also is a very quick motion and occurs as the turret and carriage 80 move together or are without relative motion.

A third motor designated generally H5 shown in Fig. 10 has a rod H6 which carries at its end a device H! for engaging the flange I0! of the stripper which is held in place during most of its revolution by flange H8 fixed to the axis of the turret but which is free from this flange at notch ll8a in the position shown in Fig. 4 so that during the instant the turret is so located when this motor H5 acts to the right as shown in Fig. 10, the tube 76' now having and 953s shown in Fig/21f As whole asse 11y miles, sass, e ea it, c c ar moves wil been out will b 'eit tt its the stnh tt si t ot.-

ct (1 ins aoert by metal washers! the bi ng pon a shaft in the bearing i 25, This tool I25 is s p it oh si tha as h, hhs 9 th i e 'th hd i the i he b h sh Q? the 9- th hh it the 2,2 The ma he e tst tht h nst ad, o abr s ve m ter l- A i i r tool 35 i h e islht ri n b mo r .3 l or w i i s t h h htthsl t a tt rt; e ttith its ediso set further mm the ainter mov ment of em; location as shown in Fig.

t e'w'Q t e sp nd es n t e to i'h d each disc is opposite a groove I50 1.71 16 Spindle I i the turret i'otgites jets Shhin t e It wi fir t h heneath the rooving tool [25 where egrobve such as show h i h Fi 2 w l he P ac d in th 'thhe' at? lu a i y ot h auq s correspondfhs w h the t tti and h htb of h h t i33- ih ihtdl i ht s oi t e be toting as dr} enjoy the chain. The grooved tube wil n t si th t h ms tihh b a ht tool it? hsi th e h 2 91 wil ht th hu h the tub way between thegroovs into the spaces I 55 ee also Fig. 17) and thusslever the tube into pluretlity oi different parts or oomplete the imita i o t m t I av found t a by prov din a ghh P llttiil fi ti irete from the gang of grooving cutters that I thh t ttv t sihht t et t t r h hdh therythere is less likelihood of vibration while grinding occurs as there would he no puttin ofi a this Sh ite t me. n y h htion ha ti w b fi l the hin h a li he th t th hee in itst W the by e s Q thh tW sshhte h e h to s he e t s ik ih of the t ls h hhi Fur r. h o -Warate tools, the work I better held on the'spinale, [hi it s i hh th t the ttk t s n t t t Oh the s n e Wh l th ltiih g w 99 The further ,auvenne of the turret will pause th t s hi t siih ht t h str h hs e tion shown at H1. in Fig. ,4, and the stripping eotion above reierreefl'to will take plate-e to strip the grommets twi h tp hi l' ht po i io a this 'leoetion at the some" time that loal'ding'and ironing oocur on other spindles, that is, during the slower moyement of th tu ret- The wri -fit tween these operations will move faster due to the epioyoloid'g ears.

A'supporting plate 200 is pivotally mounted on sheft [fishy sleeve 199 :idjacet the freeond of the spindles 99 andmay be moved axially of the shaft 198 to oausepins 2M toenter ti'ieholes 2oz iFig. 21) inthe end ofthe spindlesla'. "This plat will then rotate a. part of a revolution on its pivot with the turret and vsupport the turret while the grooving and cutting off tools are op ereting upon the work It will be understood that the air Dressure is continuously supplied from a source I (Fig. 1) through main control valve I'll to the branch lines I12, I13, H4, I15, to the push on motor 95,

' ho ver, is almo t inst? lthneo swit h sta t d I their P .ed a d ,a sin le $5573? $119.

to cause a movement rubber time omens the stretcher motor loi to the stripper motor us, and t5 t e" su "iaortihg piste eter 20:; eoo'h of which motor's ch hshwosp efieie relays; one for openin 9 valve to the eir-t mite the piston in one qiree'tidn end. the" other to control i val e to ifrte the n 'h t wi t? t- 'Difieh ht arts o th machin are t hei *electrioally'frq the-camshaft by oaths i8 1, :32, I83 me 184, "19519 which i ems iese nated in o rhti thei i hh qh .e X A, g nt is hh t qhai t h th Pi h s eters- AI Q t re is Sh w a hir ng h t am si 'the oheththih o: the spih i i p et h hi th w th i a hr e h s 2 .9 Felt-mete ih h this mo or i sta t d; it em ins ethtinuous oh re ibn imtii t f st Pb d'tY a, push 'buit n's thh- Th whitish: thts'ihq ttis whvehtioht'l- Th; thhtlyth h i '9 th 1, 1 1%? 5 from a source designateq i} The rememo r o thes iesr tp shown n ri 23 is the Wiring for the f it met e o'ontifo'l' [1; machine with one side of the c r y it jbeiiigg'roundthe 'h herh d bf 9 Y tLA P- th l d ii i iit D n A h s n t ...'th@ 85 t th UP center of the Fig. 23," "This motor is fi st ahcl started at interva s Fill he hch'sy 1 thh ihh t e i t h tti hiis the ai I95, and H5 operate, ,stop i gr jeng s t its th h i Th h t i tt motor taken oireotly from tuation of these air motors.

The cycleeoi operation i est lows:

The tam L82 .olos s the which a otuates the advancing relay in we ie: to been a valve, letting in air to force the plunger of the motor iorwhrgily and t9 the left ts shown in Fig t m 9 hi h hhh. ls Qh the Spindle 93 and at some}; ilarlyhoat h l er tht s tt i ver i he.m

. t r 9 it ithet9 th hi i shown in Fig, 23. The porn. 151' next oloses File twitoh Ml, which en r izes relay lit whichi u n pens a Qnthot it? shri s with the tartns 9 1 f m tor fir t9 9 "$9 th mQ l l i i slower. The motor runs Wei" $3 .31? itiore the 0 1 p ndl so tha ro at,

i he time that'thet e s idhqqd htjo the pindle, the'turretis mo'vi ng slovvlv 'iheca'xn 153 next en s the sw t h M3. whiqh ene izes th' ei in m tors St. and to sipr i I o admi hfjj 91d o t gy ln le s'es s w-hi t t e 2 t t thhhlh' e 's t It 1 t thhlr t'], PQ it q ,1.-. At Su s en tam th ehm t 'l tht h h may ihthh PF-5R it to open a valve to "cause to h th r thht to my to he i Fi 2 hh st i the t l hhh growled and out and t the spindlewhl, h i r 'ives' shi the the of the str "ping stroki gr stripper plunger engages the sta ns-titan closes to energize a relay. inthe stripper motor H to cause a valveto admit air to move the ,stripper plunger to the left as shown in Fig. 23, returning it to its normal position. The movement of the plunger to its normalposition strikes .aspring tensioned plunger I89, forcing it against of the switch M8 will-energize the relay i93 to start the motor 6 6 for continuing the operation of the machine.

At the proper moment, cam 195 will cause the switch M9 to close the circuit to energize the relay in motor 205 to operate the valve to force its plunger 206 to the left to move the plate 200 into engagement with the spindles and after the travel of the plate through a certain arc during the cutting and grooving operation of work on the spindles, the switch M ID will close to energize the relay in motor 205 to force the plunger 296 in the opposite direction and withdraw the pins of the plate from the ends of the spindles, whereupon spring 208 will return this plate to its starting position, ready for another operation. This will occur during one of the cycles caused by one complete revolution of the cam shaft 95.

In some cases, instead of the spindle 99 being hexagonal in cross sectional shape, it may have a serrated suriaceas shown at 99a in Fig. 24.

In some cases the rubber tube 16 will be expended ,as it is forced onto the spindle 99 and in order to accomplish this, the pusher 225 (Fig. 25)

is provided with a central hole 226 and a cup end 22'! which will snugly lit the tube 76. Thus compressed air is blown into the tube 16 to expand it as at 76a and be forced onto the spindle 99 without being axially compressed. Thus there is not the need of ironing the outer surface as shown in Fig. 8.

In Fig. 27, the rod H6 has a pair of arms 230 instead of the device ill to engage the flange i 9! of the stripper.

I claim: 1. In a machine for making grommets, a gang tool for providing a plurality of recesses in the work, a second gang tool for severing the work in a plurality of locations, 2. spindle for receiving thereon and supporting the work in the form of tubular stock, means for rotating the spindle and means for supporting the spindle at one end only and advancing said spindle laterally of its axis to advance a portion intermediate its ends successively toward said gang tools to be acted upon thereby while the spindle is rotating, and means for forcing resilient tubular stock onto said spindle.

2. ma machine for making grommets, a gang tool for providing a plurality of recesses in the work, a second gang tool for severing the work in'a plurality of locations, a spindle for receiving thereon and supporting the work in the form of tubularstock, means for rotating the spindle and means for supporting the spindle at one end only and advancing said spindle laterally of its axis toadvance aportion intermediate its ends successively toward said gang tools to be acted upon thereby while the spindle is rotating, and means for expanding the tubular stock as it is positioned 75 work, a second gang tool for severing the work in a plurality of locations, a spindle for receiving thereon and supporting the work in the form of tubular stock, means for rotating the spindle and means for-supporting the spindle at one'end only'and advancing said spindle laterally of its axis to advance a portion intermediate its ends successively toward said gang tools to be acted upon thereby while the spindle is rotating, and means for stripping the tubular stock from said spindle after cut. Y

4. In a machine for making grommets, a gang tool'for providing a plurality of recesses in the work, a second gang tool for severing the work in a plurality of locations, 2. spindle for receiving thereon and supporting the work in the form of tubular stock, means for rotating the spindle and means for supporting the spindle at one end only and advancing said spindle laterally of its axis to advance a portion intermediate its ends successively toward said gang tools to be acted upon thereby while the spindle is rotating, and means for forcing resilient stock onto said spindle, ironing the tubular stock after positioning on said spindle, and stripping the tubular stock from said spindle after cut.

5. In a machine for making grommets, a gang work, a second gang tool for severing the work in a plurality of locations, a spindle for receiving thereon and supporting the work in the form of tubular stock, means for rotating the spindle and means for supporting the spindle at one end only and advancing said spindle laterally of its axis to advance a portion intermediate its ends successively toward said gang tools to be acted upon thereby while the spindle is rotating, a magazine for the tubular stock, and means feeding said stock into position for insertion onto said spindle, and means for forcing resilient stock onto said spindle.

6. In a machine for making grommets, a gang tool for providing a plurality of recesses in the work, a second gang tool for severing the work in a plurality of locations, a turret provided I with a plurality of spindles supported at one end only for receiving thereon and supporting the work in the form of tubular stock, means for rotating said turret alternately and at relatively slow and high speeds, means for rotating each of the spindles in the turret, and means for advancing'the spindles laterally of their axes to advance a portion intermediate the ends of the spindles successively toward said gang tools to be acted upon thereby while the spindle carrying the work which is acted upon is rotating.

' CARL G. HOCKETT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS,

' Number Name Date 1,186,203 Jeffery June 6, 1916 1,188,850 Smith June 27, 1916 1,447,263 Norton Mar. 6, 1923 1,468,171 Schreiber Sept. 18, 1923 1,555,853 Higgins Oct. 6, 1925 2,363,448 Siesel Nov. 21, 1944 2,463,563 Robinson Nov. 21, 1944 2,432,765 Keller et al Dec. 16, 1947 2,475,091 Hackman July 5, 1949 

